Myanmar air strike kills 33 at Rakhine market

September 29, 2026 at 12:31 AM2 min

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A Myanmar military air strike killed at least 33 people and wounded 36 at a market in Kyauktaw, Rakhine state, on Monday. The Arakan Army said a fighter jet dropped two bombs near the market at noon local time. The attack is the latest in a series of assaults against armed groups since the 2021 coup.

Key Facts

The air strike near a market in Kyauktaw killed at least 33 people and wounded 36, according to rescue and rebel group officials.
The Arakan Army said a fighter jet dropped two bombs near the market at noon local time (0530 GMT).
Wai Hun Aung, a senior rescue official in Rakhine, called it "one of the most severe airstrikes in Rakhine".
The Arakan Army has captured 14 of Rakhine's 17 townships since launching an offensive in November 2023.
A December airstrike on a hospital in Mrauk U township killed at least 33 people and wounded 70.

The Strike

The attack occurred near a market in Kyauktaw, the main wholesale centre for Rakhine state, drawing traders and shoppers from across the region. The Arakan Army reported that a fighter jet dropped two bombs at noon local time, killing 33 people including vendors, shoppers, and pedestrians. Wai Hun Aung, a senior rescue official, confirmed the details to the Associated Press and said the death toll "may continue to increase". Photos and videos posted on social media showed buildings on fire, damaged vehicles, and parts of a nearby bridge destroyed. Myanmar's military did not immediately comment but has previously said it strikes only legitimate military targets and accused resistance groups of "terrorism".

Conflict Background

Myanmar has been gripped by conflict since the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi was ousted in the 2021 coup. A nationwide resistance movement has evolved into a civil war between the military government and an array of armed ethnic and pro-democracy groups. President Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar's former military government chief, was elected by a military-backed Parliament in April, formalising his grip on power after five years of army rule. The Arakan Army is a well-trained and well-armed military group seeking autonomy for Rakhine's ethnic minority. The military has imposed severe restrictions on trade routes to Rakhine since the fighting intensified, worsening food shortages.

Recent Attacks

The strikes are the latest in a series of assaults against pro-democracy and ethnic armed groups by the military government. In December, a military airstrike on a hospital in Rakhine's Mrauk U township killed at least 33 people and wounded 70 others. Nearly half a million people are displaced in Rakhine as a result of the conflict between the military and rebel groups.